Alright people, this one is a little off the track chapter. Most of you will enjoy it, I'm sure. But a few might not like it.
For the first lot, go ahead- vote, comment, and laugh your a** off!
But for the second one - I appreciate if you could just dm me anything you didn't like, instead of commenting then and there, and spoiling the fun for others.

Sorry, and thanks in advance. 😉

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"Jane please! Fletcher will kill me before Coach, if I tell you. Forget all the torture that Oliver, David and Sam will put me through. You can't just push me to hell!"
He pleaded.

Now I was confused, "I understand why your team members will be angry. I also understand why Nick will be angry. But why should Killer be angry at you for this?"

"Because Coach denied him the details of that day, on my request. Fletcher had me by my neck for begging Coach, not to say anything, right in front of him. But luckily for us, our sweet Carter never let a word get loose."

"Ah great! That means even Killer doesn't know?" that clicked in my mind.
"Nope. That's why I'm telling you Jane, you should -"

"Tell me! You have to tell me! Specially now that I know that Killer doesn't know. See, ultimately you'll die in the hands of Killer. Be it your truth, or my lie, the one dying is you."

Gulping, Ethan looked around and said "Do I have a third option? One where nobody dies?"
I smiled my favourite smile "Yes you have one. Tell me what happened the day Nick chose you as the captain, and I shall never speak about it to any living soul on earth. Nobody will know that a sixth person with that info exists on this earth. What say, you in?"

"I don't trust you with this, Jane."
"In that case, I don't trust myself too. Excuse me, I have to go meet my trainer."

"Damn it! I hate you devil woman!"
I laugh and sat back down, resting my face on my hands and waited for Ethan to start talking.
"You will not tell this to anyone, right?"

"I will not tell this to anyone." I repeated.
"Oh god I don't believe I'm doing this! I never thought I'll replay that day ever again in my brain."

"Start talking Eth, I don't have lot of time."
"Damn it! I hate you! Fine!"

"
They try to make a second year guy the captain of main team, so that he has one year of experience of playing under someone, and two years to lead the team. But exceptions have been there, in case of some great players.
We were the fresh lot. None of us expected to become the cap in first year itself.

It was our first day on the field. The SC was not appointed by then.
Me and Oliver were in team A with Major Nick as our goalie, and Sam and David in team B, with Major Wills as their goalkeeper.
They saw something during the game, because we were all made to wait after the match, while they had a discussion among themselves.

I had a clue of what happened. The four of us played brilliantly, but alone. We never passed the ball to anyone. We went for scoring on our own and succeeded quite a few times.
Final score was 6-4 of which we four scored the max.

After a long discussion, Major Wills called out our names and ordered us to stay back while letting others go.
"You guys know how to play with this ball, I'm impressed." Major Nick started "I'm thinking of naming one of you as the captain of KMA's reserve team." It is an honour to be a captain of the reserve team in first year itself.

"You guys have been captains in high school, if I'm not wrong?"
"Yes sir" we said with our heads held high.
"Alright, you tell me your duration of captaincy and the number of tournaments you made your team win. Start from one end" Major Wills wrote the data and handed it to Major Nick, who was officially the coach.

"Okay. So according to experience, Ethan is ahead of all of you, by 2 years. But according to winning data, David, your team won 5 out of six tournaments? That's impressive! But it's difficult to choose the captain based on this data. It will be unfair."

"Let them vote among themselves, and decide who should be the captain" Major Wills suggested, and the other one agreed, both having a devilish smile.
The result was something they had somehow expected. None of us voted for any of the remaining three.

"Since your football skills are good, I'll give you guys another chance... but.." that was Major Nick "I'm not happy with your game, as such." folding the piece of paper twice and tearing it right in front of our eyes.

Instantly I knew what happened, and that we're in deep shit.
"I'll leave you guys alone with your coach. Nick let me know when the captain is decided." Major Wills left, leaving us with some free air, well that's what we felt till we heard what our coach said next.

"Your seniors call me Coach Carter, behind my back, of course. And I love the name, too. Today you'll know the reason behind this name. Follow me."
He took us to the sandy area of the academy. It was nothing, but sand for around half a kilometre.

I was afraid he'll make us play football on this ground, because it's a very difficult terrain to play on.
"What you are going to do today, will require a buddy. Don't worry, since I know you don't like each other much, I'll make one stay with other three in turns. At the end of the day, you can tell me who was your favourite buddy." he laughed at his own joke.

He made two pairs. Me with Oliver, and David with Sam, first. Our first task was dragging in sand.
I was on ground balancing myself on my hands and feet. Oliver was to crawl under me from behind and hang on to my neck, while lying on the ground. After securing, I was supposed to drag my body forward using only my feet and hands, all the while pulling Oliver along, with just my neck.

It was, and still is, the most difficult paired drill I've ever done. It took immense energy to move even a single centimetre, there was no grip in the sand, and the additional strain my neck was facing was unbearable.
Physical part of this drill was still okay.
It was Major Nick's words which were causing all the embarrassment and making it even more difficult.

Our positions were really awkward. Pelvis of the one dragging, was right above the face of the other guy. It was absolutely uncomfortable, since we have been stripped down till our boxers.

"Your buddy can have a good look of your private pride from this angle. I think I know why are you guys taking this long to move half a km. We can do this drill bare bottom if you like. What say?"

"God Ethan, get over this fast. I can't keep looking at your... Whatever!"
"Sure Oliver, you'll feel the harassment once we switch positions. Then I'll see how fast you get over. Till then, shut your damn mouth, and let me do my job."

Sam and David were facing the same humiliation.  We switched positions on the return.
"I'm sorry, it's bad from here." Oliver apologised on the way back, feeling what I had felt.
"Told you, I'm not interested in showing my as* and balls to you."

I wasn't sure if I was ready to go for the next round with Sam or David. The humiliation was just as much as the pain in my body. And Coach Carter was not leaving any stone unturned to add to it.

"Alright. Good exhibition that was. But, too much fun spoils a punishment." he said with a never ending grin on his face. "I assume your as* had a nice time in the sand. Let's give it a break."
We didn't know whether to laugh or be afraid.

He took us next to a pathway. It was hardly 30 cms wide, but was almost half a km long and damn too curvy. As we got closer to it, my eyes widened. The path was made of sharp stones. And over that, dried sharp thorns were thrown.
It will be a torturous and bloody walk, if that's what he has in his mind. The thorns and stones will dig in deep, causing our feet to bleed non stop, and oh the pain will be unbearable.

I was thinking of what to do to reduce the damage to my feet, when Coach Carter destroyed all my hopes of a peaceful sleep tonight.
We were told to crab walk down the pathway, without touching the stones.
Well how? Good question.

One hand and one foot in either side of the path, with as* facing down, straight into the daggers. There was no way, one can crawl half a km in that position, without falling even once.
STILL! it was still o-kay to get up again and continue crawling with the never forgiving thorns in your as*.

What he suggested next made me wonder if I really need any clothes to cover my body.
"Try not to put your base down, the thorns are waiting to kiss you. If, as per your liking, you still want to do it, you can. But. If you do it more than twice, your buddy will take off all the thorns and stones stuck in your boxer or up your as*, whichever you guys like.

We couldn't look at each other after what was just said, forget giving an evil eye.
I was the first to go and I tried my best not to rest my bottom down.
But I was so exhausted by the previous drill, my hands were shaking while carrying my weight. I fell twice and the sting was too much. Getting my as* up and moving again felt like a different form of torture in itself. Thankfully I didn't fall a third time, in this trip, and got the privilege to remove the thorns from my boxers, all by myself, which, mind you, was an equally humiliating task.

Oliver couldn't keep his weight to his limbs, and rested himself down, five times. He apologised for it, everytime I cleared his boxer off the thorns.
He was red as a tomato by the time we were done.

Sam and David, too, gave each other enough chances to appreciate their booty.

After crawling, we were back to dragging.
This time I was paired with Sam and Oliver with David.
The whole awkward sequence was repeated.
This time, Sam got to look at my bottom once.

By the time our third sequence was over, we felt like red sweating girls who were made to do pole dance, first time in their life, against their will, in front of hundred of perverts, wearing just enough clothes.
I'll be having nightmares for a few nights, I think.

"So! I hope you guys had fun. Did you?"
Every question demands an answer. What a pity.
"Yes sir!"

"Really? I was expecting a No, sir. Great! Then we shall do this more often!"
This can not be happening again, ever!

"Sir! I opt out of the competition. I don't want to be a captain. I'll play under any of these three. Please sir." Oliver was the first to give up, afterall his as* had a world map printed on it.
There was barely any space left to add new islands.

"so do I, sir." that was David.

Before Sam and I could add our names to the list of quitters, Coach spoke up in a serious tone.
"What happened on the field today, I don't want a repeat of it. None of you are bigger or important than the team. You get the ball, you pass it on to the next safe player, instead of trying to be a hero yourself. If I see anyone of you playing without a team spirit, remember the sand will be replaced by these thorns and the stones will be replaced by coals, next time. Am I crystal clear?"

"Clear sir!"

"I'm giving you guys one last chance. I want you to come up with one name. You have fifteen minutes to think and decide. I'll meet you in the football field. If I have to wait for a single second more, we'll meet in the sand."
He left the four of us in an uncomfortable, awkward state.
The instruction was clear. And for that to happen, we had no other option, but to talk among ourselves.

"I'm fine with anyone of you being the Cap. Just get over this. Sam?"
"No. I've had enough. I'm not interested anymore."

"Oliver?"
"Don't even say my name. My as* will curse me if I choose to lead you guys after embarrassing you so much."

"David?"
"I don't mind. But I think you should do it, Ethan."

"What? Me? No.."
"Why not?" Sam spoke "Afterall you have more experience in leading than all of us."

"But you got the max trophies, David."
"Dude our old cap fractured his toe one day before finals. The team was well trained by him. I just got to earn the fame. I think you should be the one."

"But..." I couldn't argue.
"Enough of butts today. My girlfriend will dump me if she gets to know what happened."

"I swear. Guys, let's make a deal. We will not tell anyone what happened here."
"Promise. But what about Coach Carter?"
"I'll try to talk to him." I risked.
"That's why you deserve to be the cap!"

We reached the field just in time, and saw the brothers waiting for us.
Coach was smiling like a pure devil and Fletcher was looking confused.
We lined up in front of them.

"Have you decided who will be the cap?" Major Wills asked curiously.
"Yes sir!"

He looked at Coach surprised, who was still smiling.
He turned back to us "Who?"
Three voices in sync called my name, while I stood silent.

Fletcher couldn't control his surprise.
He asked Coach "How did you manage? They haven't even broken a sweat!" he turned to us and asked "What did he make you do?"
We didn't answer him, and Coach Carter laughed at our reaction.
"I broke them in a way, they can't explain."

"I want to know!" Fletcher rose his voice.
"Should I tell him?" Coach Carter was an evil man.
"Coach.. Please..Don't..." I requested him, knowing that the next thing that will happen was Fletcher holding my collar and curse me to dare do that.

Nevertheless, we were assured that if Major Wills doesn't know, then nobody will get to know about it through Coach.
And us? We'll never let our a*ses get exposed.
"

I was holding back a laughter all throughout his tale. Once he was done, I couldn't control.
I laughed, rather, I howled so loudly, I couldn't breathe for a minute.

God, Nick! He's a bigger bigger devil than I had thought. I'll have to stay careful with him now onwards.

"You promised you'll not tell anyone. Don't laugh so loudly, you'll call everyone! Jane, quiet!" Ethan was scared.

I was just coming down from my laughter, when I saw Nick entering the mess.
I coughed, pretending, to hide my laugh, and save Ethan. He looked at me, then looked at Ethan.

"Five seconds" he said in a straight tone, and Ethan got up and ran away within five seconds, without Nick even counting them out.

He was very serious.
"Your suspicion was right." he said looking into my eyes.

I thought about what he said. I didn't tell him anything about my suspicion. Then how does he know?
"What?" I asked.

"Boss and his dog are indeed hiding something big." he answered me.
"Damn!" I knew it!

But what?